Est. Earnings (1yr)
$48,676
Est. from national median (29 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$27,000
Est. from national median (9 programs)

Analysis

Madonna University's homeland security bachelor's program shows a challenging financial profile based on what peer institutions typically produce. Comparable programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $48,700—respectable for a public safety career, but when paired with an estimated $27,000 in debt, graduates would face monthly loan payments consuming roughly 13% of their take-home pay for a decade. That's manageable but tight, especially considering homeland security salaries often require years of advancement before reaching stronger earning potential.

The debt estimate here runs higher than both the national median ($23,475) and Michigan's median ($21,500) for this field. Given Madonna's 93% admission rate and modest selectivity, this suggests the program may not be leveraging institutional aid as effectively as similar schools. For families, this matters because homeland security careers—whether in TSA, emergency management, or law enforcement—typically offer stability and benefits rather than exceptional starting salaries. A lower debt load would make this career path more financially sustainable from the outset.

Without actual outcomes data from Madonna's own graduates, you're essentially betting on whether this specific program performs at least as well as the typical homeland security bachelor's program. If your child is committed to public safety work and plans to pursue federal positions where advancement is systematic, the estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55 is workable. But compare financial aid packages carefully against Michigan's other three programs before committing—even a few thousand dollars less in loans makes a real difference on a homeland security salary.

Where Madonna University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all homeland security bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs Nationally

Homeland Security bachelors's programs at top institutions nationally

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Madonna UniversityLivonia$27,360$48,676*—$27,000*—
George Mason UniversityFairfax$13,815$90,956*—$21,741*0.24
Bethel UniversityMcKenzie$18,168$78,275*$62,271$31,919*0.41
Grand Canyon UniversityPhoenix$17,450$68,503*$73,431$28,787*0.42
Columbia CollegeColumbia$21,450$67,338*—$27,855*0.41
Waldorf UniversityForest City$25,220$66,446*—$23,437*0.35
National Median—$48,676*—$23,475*0.48
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with homeland security graduates

Emergency Management Directors

Plan and direct disaster response or crisis management activities, provide disaster preparedness training, and prepare emergency plans and procedures for natural (e.g., hurricanes, floods, earthquakes), wartime, or technological (e.g., nuclear power plant emergencies or hazardous materials spills) disasters or hostage situations.

$86,130/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in criminal justice, corrections, and law enforcement administration. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Managers, All Other

All managers not listed separately.

Regulatory Affairs Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate production activities of an organization to ensure compliance with regulations and standard operating procedures.

Compliance Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization to ensure compliance with ethical or regulatory standards.

Loss Prevention Managers

Plan and direct policies, procedures, or systems to prevent the loss of assets. Determine risk exposure or potential liability, and develop risk control measures.

Wind Energy Development Managers

Lead or manage the development and evaluation of potential wind energy business opportunities, including environmental studies, permitting, and proposals. May also manage construction of projects.

Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers

Plan and direct cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties for reuse. Does not include properties sufficiently contaminated to qualify as Superfund sites.

Postsecondary Teachers, All Other

All postsecondary teachers not listed separately.

First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force.

First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of security workers and security guards.

First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other

All protective service supervisors not listed separately above.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Madonna University, approximately 30% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the national median of 29 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.